Dust mop cleaner



Feb. 4, 1941. H. R. LARSON DUST MOP CLEANER Filed Feb. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 4, 1941.

H. R. LARSON I 2,230,356

DUST MOP CLEANER Filed Feb. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for removing dust and dirt from mops used in dusting floors and for other cleaning. In city apartments and other thickly settled localities, it is often 5 difiicult to find an available place where such a mop can be shaken or beaten without disturbing other parties by the flying dust and dirt.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved portable machine by which a dust mop can be readily rotated within a closed casing for a beating operation. I also provide an improved bearing support for the rotated mop, and a conveniently removable receptacle to receive the dust and dirt.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 5--5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional side elevation, taken along the line 66 in Fig. 5; V

Fig. '7 is a partial sectional side elevation, taken along the line 1'l in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional side elevation, taken along the line I 6-I0 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the machine in cleaning a mop;

Fig. 12 is a partial side elevation of a mop-engaging cross bar and its supporting means;

Fig. 13 is an end elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow l3 in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line Ml4 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a dust-container; and.

Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line I8|6 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, my improved dust mop cleaner comprises a casing 23 and a cover 2| hinged together at 22 (Fig. 2). The casing 23 supports an inner sheet metal trough 24, the upper portions of which are permanently secured to the side and end walls of the casing by soldering or welding, and the lower portions of which are spaced inwardly from the side and end walls, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

The sides and ends of the trough 24 converge downwardly toward an open rectangular delivery portion 25 through which dust and dirt is discharged to a removable dust-container 21. The container 21 preferably has a canvas casing 23 enclosing the container and extending upwardly beyond the container, as clearly shown in Fig. 15. This upper portion of the casing 28 is provided with a gathering string or cord 29 by which it may I be firmly secured around the delivery portion 25 of the trough 24. When it is desired to empty the container 21, the cord 29 is loosened and the container is removed through a door 30 (Fig. 1) in the front of the casing 20. A latch 3| holds the door normally closed. A cross bar 32 (Figs. 6, 12- and 13) is secured to the upper ends of slotted plates 33 in any convenient manner, as by screws 34. The plates 33 are adjustably secured to the ends of the delivery portion 25 of the trough 24 by clamping bolts 36 (Figs. 6 and 12). By loosening the bolts 36, the cross bar 32 may be adjusted at any desired height to engage a mop M of a particular size.

The casing 20 is supported on swivel wheels or rollers 43 (Figs. 1 and 2) and is provided with end handles 4| and a stirrup strap 42 (Fig. 1). The wheels 43 and handles 4| permit the machine to be readily drawn about from place to place, and the stirrup strap 42 conveniently receives the foot of the operator, thus enabling him to hold the machine from movement on its wheels 40 during amop-shaking operation.

The casing 23 and cover 2! are reenforced and overlap at their adjacent edges, as shown in Fig. 16, and the joint between these parts is preferably covered by a packing 43 which prevents the escape of dust and dirt from the machine.

The casing 26 has a mop-handleereceiving opening (Figs. land 8) in its upper front edge portion, together with a coacting and downwardly extending rectangular slot 5!. The cover 2| has a corresponding segmental opening 52 overlying the mop handle when a mop is supported in the machine.

The mops cleaned in this machine commonly comprise a wire or metal cross frame (Fig; 11) to which is secured a multiplicity of elements 6|, such as fibre, threads or cords. The cross frame Bil 60 has a threaded cup 62 secured thereto, which cup is adapted to receive the threaded outer end 63 (Fig. 10) of a bearing rod or stud 64. Displacement of the brush on the stud during the cleaning operation may be prevented by inserting a locking screw 65 through the parts 62 and 63.

The bearing stud 64 (Fig. 10) is rotatable in sleeves 66 and 61, which sleeves are secured together by a connecting member 68. The sleeves 66 and 61 are loosely mounted on the stud 64 at each side of a pinion 69 which may be pressed on the stud 64 or may be secured by a crosspin 10. A short tubular member H is fixed to the outer end of the sleeve 61 and receives the end of the mop stick 12, which may be secured therein by screws 13.

With this construction, it will be seen that the stick 12, the tubular member H, the sleeves 61 and 66 and the connecting member 68 may remain stationary and thus provide an elongated bearing for the stud 64 which supports the mop M and which is rotated by a driving connection to the pinion 69.

A bracket 15 (Figs. 7 and 9) is bolted to the casing 20 below the openings 56 and 5| and extends inward and upward to provide an inner support 16 for the sleeve 66. At its inner end, the bracket 15 is provided with ears 1! to prevent transverse displacement of the mop during cleaning. The bracket 15 is also provided with a slot 18 to receive the connecting member 68 as shown in Fig. 7, said member 68 also extending out through the lower portion 5| of the Opening in the casing 26.

A hand lever is pivotally mounted between bearing plates 8| (Fig. 14), which plates in turn are secured to the front wall of the cover 2| by bolts 82 (Fig. 1). The handle 80 extends upward through a slot 83 (Fig. 3) in the top of the cover 2| and is conveniently positioned to be grasped and operated above said cover. A cloth pouch or packing member 84 is secured within the cover 2| and is closely engaged with the handle 80 to prevent escape of dust through the slot 83.

At its lower end the lever 80 is formed as a segment gear 85, the teeth of which engage the pinion 69 when the cover is closed. Handles 90 and 9| provide convenient means for opening the cover 2| and a chain 92 (Fig. 2) limits such opening movement.

Having described the details of construction of my improved mop cleaning machine, the use and method of operation thereof will be readily apparent.

When the cover 2! is raised, a mop M may be inserted in the casing 20, with its bearing parts firmly supported as shown in Fig. 7. The cross bar 32 is then adjusted, if necessary, to the right height for the particular style or type of mop to be cleaned. The cover is then closed, causing the segment gear to engage the pinion 69, and the mop is then rapidly rotated, first in one direction and then in the other, by rocking the handle 86. At the same time the operator places his foot on the stirrup strap 42 and thus prevents bodily movement of the machine, which might otherwise attempt to follow the movements of the handle. Also, the operator may use his other hand to grasp the mop stick I2, which stick does not rotate.

The mop rotates on the elongated bearings of the stud 64 in the sleeves 66 and 61, and when thus rotated, the threads or cords 6| fly outward by centrifugal force and strike the bar 32, which effectively removes the dust and dirt therefrom. This dislodged material thereafter collects in the receptacle 2'! and may be removed. The mop is thus quickly and easily cleaned without the escape of dust or dirt from the machine and is immediately ready for further use.

Having thus described my invention and the .advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a mop cleaning machine, a casing, a cover hinged thereto, a mop-stick, means to rotatably support a mop on said mop-stick, means to horizontally support said mop-stick and rotating means between said casing and cover and to hold said stick from rotation, and manual means to rotate said mop on said stick while said stick is held stationary.

2. In a mop-cleaning machine having a casing and a manually operated segment gear rotatably mounted thereon, that improvement which comprises a mop rotatably mounted on a mop-stick, a pinion on said mop engaged and rotated by said segment gear when said mop is positioned in said machine, and means to firmly support said mop-stick in said casing at both sides of said pinion.

3. In a mop-cleaning machine, a mop, a bearing stud for said mop, spaced bearing sleeves for said stud, a pinion fixed on said stud between said sleeves, means to rigidly connect said spaced sleeves and to secure said sleeves to a mop-stick, and manual means to rotate said pinion and mop.

4. In a mop-cleaning machine, a casing, a mopstick, means to rotatablysupport a mop on said mop-stick, means to horizontally support said mop-stick and rotating means in said casing, and a bracket secured within said casing and projecting inward therefrom to engage and support the inner end of said stick, said bracket having a slot positioned to receive a device on said mopstick so constructed and arranged that said stick is held from rotation.

5. In a mop-cleaning machine, a casing, a mopstick, means to rotatably support a mop on said mop-stick, means to horizontally support said mop-stick and rotating means in said casing, and a bracket secured within said casing and projecting inward therefrom to engage and support the inner end of said stick, said bracket having a slot positioned to receive a device on said mopstick so constructed and arranged that said stick is held from rotation and having spaced ears to prevent lateral displacement of the inner end of said stick.

HENNING R. LARSON. 

